Disasters, climate and crises
Every year, disasters and crises have devastating impacts on people, communities and entire societies around the world. The IFRC and our 191 National Societies respond to, and work to prevent or lessen the impacts of, all types of crises and disasters. We do so for all people, with a focus on supporting the most vulnerable. Our priorities are to save lives, reduce suffering and uphold human dignity.
What do we do?
The IFRC is there at the right time—investing before an event in disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and integrating this across all areas of our work.
We work to ensure that we are always in the right place—effectively using technology and innovation to anticipate risks and disasters, support proactive early action and provide predictive financing.
We work together to make sure we have the right capacity—efficiently coordinating across our regional and global networks to ensure we can respond to increasing humanitarian demands, and improving locally-led humanitarian action.
We help our members develop the right skills—building the capabilities needed to respond to increasingly complex humanitarian environments: digital, urban, protracted, and technological.
We insist on the right focus—placing affected people and communities at the centre of preparedness and response. We continually promote ethical and people-led approaches, such as cash programming, and support response models that are as localized as possible.
Find out more in our Disaster Risk Management Policy: From prevention to response and recovery
Our response
We strive to ensure that a well-functioning, relevant global disaster management system is in place to address the needs of vulnerable people affected by disasters and crises, by working as part of an effective global disaster management team to:
Provide leadership for the development of global disaster and crises management policies and programming approaches, with a focus on disseminating the Principles and Rules for RCRC Humanitarian Assistance, supporting the process of strengthening Movement coordination and cooperation.
Promote IFRC-wide tools and capacities for disaster and crises in the areas of response preparedness and contingency planning, disaster needs assessment, relief to recovery planning, the scaled-up use of cash in emergencies and global surge capacity systems.
Improve the timeliness and quality of Emergency Appeal and DREF-supported operations through Emergency Plans of Action and support to resource mobilisation efforts.
Measuring impact
Our added value and impact is measured through:
Feedback from National Societies and Federation Secretariat colleagues on the usefulness of global policies, technical assistance, global representation, information systems, tools and guidance developed through DCM.
Evaluations of major operations that assess the effectiveness and impact of our leadership and management support.
The successful deployment of global tools and staff, and their effectiveness and appropriateness for each operational context.
Quality and timeliness of Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) proposals and Emergency Appeals (EA).
About disaster management
Disaster Management can be defined as the organization and management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies.
About disasters
A disaster is not a single event; it may have various causes and consequences, and so each disaster is unique.
Preparing for disasters
Disaster preparedness activities embedded with risk reduction measures can prevent disaster situations and also result in saving maximum lives and livelihoods during any disaster situation.
Preparing for disasters
Disaster preparedness activities embedded with risk reduction measures can prevent disaster situations and also result in saving maximum lives and livelihoods during any disaster situation.
Responding to disasters
The Red Cross and Red Crescent aims to respond to disasters as rapidly and effectively as possible, by mobilizing its resources and using its network in a coordinated manner.
From crisis to recovery
Recovery refers to those programmes which go beyond the immediate relief to assist those who have suffered the full impact of a disaster to rebuild their homes, lives and services and to strengthen their capacity to cope with future disasters.
Green response
During disasters, the immediate imperative for the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement is to save lives, reduce suffering, damage and losses, and to protect, comfort and support affected people. Whilst life-saving interventions must always remain the priority aim of any emergency response operation, the Movement recognizes that it must take action to minimize its adverse impacts on the surrounding environment and eco-systems.